Democracy and Disfranchisement

The Morality of Electoral Exclusions

Claudio Lopez-Guerra

Challenges conventional thinking about the right to vote
Fills a void in the theory of modern democracy

Democracy and Disfranchisement

The Morality of Electoral Exclusions

Claudio Lopez-Guerra

Description

The denial of voting rights to certain types of persons continues to be a moral problem of practical significance. The disenfranchisement of persons with mental impairments, minors, noncitizen residents, nonresident citizens, and criminal offenders is a matter of controversy in many countries. How should we think morally about electoral exclusions? What should we conclude about these particular cases? This book proposes a set of principles, called the Critical Suffrage Doctrine, that defies conventional beliefs on the legitimate denial of the franchise. According to the Critical Suffrage Doctrine, in some realistic circumstances it is morally acceptable to adopt an alternative to universal suffrage that would exclude the vast majority of sane adults for being largely uninformed. Thus, contrary to what most people believe, current controversies on the franchise are not about exploring the limits of a basic moral right. Regarding such controversies, the Critical Suffrage Doctrine establishes that, in polities with universal suffrage, the blanket disenfranchisement of minors and the mentally impaired cannot be justified; that noncitizen residents should be allowed to vote; that excluding nonresident citizens is permissible; and that criminal offenders should not be disenfranchised-although facilitating voting from prison is not required in all contexts. Political theorists have rarely submitted the franchise to serious scrutiny. Hence this study makes a contribution to a largely neglected and important subject.

Democracy and Disfranchisement

The Morality of Electoral Exclusions

Claudio Lopez-Guerra

Acknowledgments
1. Introduction
2. Disenfranchisement on the Basis of Ignorance: The Lottery System
3. Disenfranchisement on the Basis of Immaturity and Insanity
4. Disenfranchisement on the Basis of Nonresidency and Noncitizenship
5. Disenfranchisement on the Basis of Felony Convictions
6. Disenfranchisement and the Limits of Democratic Theory
7. Conclusion

Democracy and Disfranchisement

The Morality of Electoral Exclusions

Claudio Lopez-Guerra

Author Information

Claudio Lopez-Guerra, Research Professor, Department of Political Studies, Center for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE, Mexico City)

Claudio Lopez-Guerra's work focuses on political ethics. He has published articles in academic journals such as The Journal of Political Philosophy; Politics, Philosophy and Economics; and Social Theory and Practice. He is Research Professor of Political Studies, Center for Research and Teaching in Economics (CIDE) in Mexico City.

Democracy and Disfranchisement

The Morality of Electoral Exclusions

Claudio Lopez-Guerra

Reviews and Awards

"[López-Guerra's] ideas fit comfortably in the mode of arguing for extending the franchise to previously excluded groups -- following the pull of history... it seems we really do cling to the right to vote for everyone who is capable ...it is to López-Guerra's credit that parts of his tightly argued book (a welcome addition to the regrettably slim library on the subject) may move us to cling to this notion a little less firmly." -Notre Dame Philosophical Reviews

"In this provocative book, Claudio López-Guerra argues that many of our conventional beliefs about the franchise are entirely backward. ... As is evident, this is an ambitious book and there is much of interest ... [E]ven if some or all of [Lopez-Guerra's arguments] are flawed, they are instructive insofar as they require us to reconsider the value of the franchise and the reasons for which it should be bestowed." -Political Theory

"Claudio López-Guerra's Democracy and Disenfranchisement is a fascinating book that challenges most people's basic assumptions about who ought to have the right to vote. It is required reading for anyone working on democratic theory, voting ethics, and theories of political rights." -Social Theory and Practice

"The book is well written and accessible. The relevant topic and the approach to the topic mean that the book is of interest and comprehensible not just to philosophers and political scientists, but also to individuals with less background knowledge of the theme of suffrage...López-Guerra argues his case passionately; his arguments are balanced. He considers objections to all of his proposals and arguments and admits to their failings." --Madeleine Pitkin, lInternational Justice Review